Department of Health states no issues with City of Busselton’s algal bloom warnings in Lower Vasse River

The Department of Health has said it is not worried about the City of Busselton’s approach to algal blooms in the Lower Vasse River amid vocal public concerns. Community members claimed the council was “hiding” information about the toxic blooms during public question time at the city’s previous meeting as they called for more to be done on the issue. But when the department was asked if it had issues with the council’s actions, a spokesperson simply said they did not. Busselton resident Jill Walsh accused the council of “hiding” information about algal blooms in the water body from the public. “That’s what the community believes,” she said. “It looks like you’re hiding something because you (are) refusing to issue the warnings as per World Health Organisation, Health Department and Australian guidelines.” In response to Ms Walsh’s questions, mayor Phill Cronin said the council would seek extra clarity on the extent of public signage and warnings for algal blooms from the Department of Health. A department spokesperson said on Wednesday it had not yet been approached by the council about the matter. Earlier in the meeting, Mr Cronin was asked by Dr Andrew Dickie why public warnings had not been issued by the council when a bloom occurred at the end of last year. He said council staff had sent the Health Department confirmation of the actions it had taken, including photographic evidence of signage, in early January. “The city did not receive a request for any additional action to be taken from the Department of Health following this confirmation,” Mr Cronin said. The council and State Government departments have been grappling with how to deal with algal blooms in the Lower Vasse River for several years, with efforts including sediment removal to reduce nutrient levels and a trial of Phoslock to remove dissolved phosphorus.